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Chronology of Events in Afghanistan, December 2002*

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Chronology of Events in Afghanistan, December 2002* Chronology of Events in Afghanistan, December 2002* December 1 Fighting breaks out in Herat. (Reuters) Fresh fighting erupted between troops belonging to two rival commanders near an air base in western Afghanistan. The fighting began when commander Amanullah Khan launched an attack on positions held by the powerful governor of the province of Herat, Ismail Khan, in the Zeer Koh area 10 km from Shindand air base, an official for Ismail Khan said. Witnesses in Herat said they had seen Ismail Khan head to the area of fighting with forces that included tanks. Amanullah's spokesman confirmed the fighting but said that Ismail's forces had initiated it by unleashing a volley of artillery fire on land under his control. "There are many dead on our side, but the victims are mostly civilians," he said. Qarim, another spokesman for Amanullah, put the death toll at 13 and added that "dozens" of people had been injured. December 2 Three killed in factional clash in Kandahar. (Reuters) Three people were killed and five wounded in a gun battle between police and fighters of a military commander in the city of Kandahar. The clash erupted in the centre of Kandahar in the night when police were checking people for weapons. When forces loyal to commander General Gulalai were stopped and asked to disarm they refused, triggering a gun battle in which three soldiers were killed and five people wounded, two of them shopkeepers, military commander Saleh Muhammad said. General Gulalai is aligned with President Hamid Karzai. Baghlan Province closes down new newspaper. (Afghan newspaper Arman-e Melli) Telaye, an independent publication by writers from Baghlan Province has been closed by the directorate of information and culture of that province. ‘Telaye’ was founded in Aqrab 1381 [October-November 2002]. The Directorate of Information and Culture of Baghlan Province banned the distribution of the paper soon after its first issue was printed on the 15 Aqrab [6 November]. Ahmad Jawed Payaa, one of the writers for ‘Telaye’, said: "Orders were received from the governor of Baghlan. The directorate of information and culture, however, said the reason for the ban was the failure to obtain permission by those running the paper." * Disclaimer: Reports contained in this document are selected from publicly available resources and edited by country experts. The information provided here is not, and does not purport to be, either exhaustive with regard to conditions in the country of origin surveyed, or conclusive as to the merits of any particular claim. Further information may be obtained from BO Ankara . Chronology of Events in Afghanistan UNCHR Ankara COI Team December 2002 Page 1 24/09/2004 December 3 Afghan police reportedly taking bribes to let prisoners out of jail. (Afghan news agency Hindokosh) A citizen of Kabul, who has been released from prison at 5:00 p.m, said that he had been arrested by the security officers in zone No. 1 of Kabul without any reason or justifications, and after paying 500,000 Afghanis, he was released by the same security officers. He added that besides him, 40 more people were arrested, some of whom have been released by paying 500,000 Afghanis or more than that, however the ones who did not have money are still in custody. December 4 Ten people killed in fighting in Herat Province. (Arman-e Melli) Fighting between the forces of Herat governor General Ismail Khan and the men of commander Amanollah Khan has been going on in Zerkoh, Shindand District. Ten people have been killed in the fighting. A high-ranking state delegation has been sent to Herat to investigate the military situation in Herat province. Armed men take two policemen hostage in Kabul. (Afghan newspaper The Kabul Times) While the residents of Khairkhana district of Kabul city were shopping for Id festival, people were shocked and scattered in Sarwar-e Kayenat Square after a sudden fire exchange between police and bodyguards of a warlord in the morning. The clashes erupted when police asked an Afghan warlord [Amanollah Gozar, commander of Army Corps No 1 of Defence Ministry] about his armed bodyguards and tainted windows of his official vehicle. One person was injured and two policemen were severely beaten and taken hostage by the commander. Afghan government in Kabul issued a decree and banned movement of armed men and vehicles with tainted windows in and around Kabul unless they have officials permit from Interior Ministry. General Sabur confirmed the arrest of his two policemen by commander Amanollah but said they were set free later. An eyewitness said: "After police opened fire, the armed men, most of them in commando uniforms, surrounded the area and took away two policemen." The event took place in Khairkhana where most of the commanders and armed men of Northern Alliance are residing. December 8 Lecturer murdered in Kabul. (Arman-e Melli) Unknown people in the 4th police district killed Abdol Hamid, a lecturer from Kabul Polytechnic Institute. An official source from Kabul gendarmerie said "Abdol Hamid, son of Abdol Wahed, who taught at Kabul Polytechnic Institute, was shot dead with a pistol bullet by unknown people. The body was found by the police force in the vicinity of the 4th police district hidden inside a sack. The body was handed over to the relatives of the murdered person. Afghan disabled stage demonstration in Kabul. (Reuters) Dozens of disabled Afghans staged a demonstration in Kabul, demanding President Hamid Karzai increase their social benefits. The group of around 300 protesters, including women and children, moved on crutches and wheelchairs through the centre Chronology of Events in Afghanistan UNCHR Ankara COI Team December 2002 Page 2 24/09/2004 of the city before stopping outside the heavily guarded presidential palace. With 800,000 disabled out of a population of 23 million, the war-torn country has the highest percentage of disabled people in the world. Many lost limbs in accidents involving mines, millions of which lay hidden after 23 years of war and occupation. The peaceful march coincided with a cabinet meeting at which the government said it would increase benefits it pays through the Ministry for the Disabled and Martyrs to 400,000 registered disabled people. "In the past they used to receive 100,000 Afghanis ($2) a month and a committee was set up at the cabinet meeting to increase privileges," said Karzai's spokesman Sayed Fazl Akbar. "We are talking about several million dollars a month now only for the Disabled and Martyrs' Ministry." Some disabled people also receive help from international aid agencies such as the International Committee of the Red Cross. December 9 Afghan group renews call for jihad against USA, UK. (Pakistan-based publication Wahdat) Markaz Raya Aswad [Black Flag Centre], the Afghan group involved in armed struggle against the US, called upon the Afghan and the other Muslim youths to rise against foreign forces in Afghanistan. In a colour pamphlet distributed in the Afghan provinces of Paktia, Konar, and Nangarhar, and the Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan, the group said that “jihad is as obligatory upon the Muslims as prayers and fasts of Ramadan month”. December 10 Over 30 prisoners released in Herat. (Afghan Herat TV) Based on the order of Hamed Karzai, head of the Transitional Administration of Afghanistan, and an instruction issued by Alhaj Muhammad Ismail, emir of southwestern zone, 33 male and female prisoners were released. December 11 Residents of Bamyan city protest against government's appointment policy. (Islamic Republic News Agency / IRNA) Hundreds of the residents of Bamian city, the capital city of Bamian Province, staged a vast demonstration to protest to the government's appointment of certain officials. The peaceful demonstration began from the central part of the city's bazaar in the morning and was later in the day extended to the front of the governor of the city's building. The demonstrators later moved towards the UN office in Bamian, where they once again peacefully voiced their protest. The two officials whom the demonstrators were asking to be removed from their newly appointed positions included the Deputy Governor of Bamian and the new head of the city's judiciary. Afghan governor condemns imported CDs. (Afghan newspaper Rah-e Nejat) In a gathering of people to perform the Id al-Fitr prayers in Herat congregational mosque, governor Ismail Khan in his speech said: “The enemy wants to kill us secretly; the enemy does not use weapons any more, the enemy wants to make us face dilemma through cultural clashes. The enemy wants to deceive our youths by misleading CDs. He said: "You observe that the newly imported items are misleading Chronology of Events in Afghanistan UNCHR Ankara COI Team December 2002 Page 3 24/09/2004 things, which are cheaper than they cost to bring in. They are sold in order to confuse the young people in the city.” December 13 Death toll from cold mounts in Afghanistan. (Iranian radio Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran) Due to the cold weather, 45 people have died in various regions of Afghanistan. It was reported that recently 20 people died in Balkh and Jowzjan Province, 10 in Kandahar, three in Badakshan and 12 more in Bamian, Uruzgan and Ghazni Provinces due to the cold winter in the country. Majority of victims were children and old people. December 15 Helmand province to reintroduce Islamic punishments. (Reuters) The administration of Helmand province sought permission from the central government to be allowed to carry out harsh Islamic punishments. Abdur Rehman, police chief of province of Helmand, said a spiralling crime rate had prompted the provincial government to consider amputations of the hands and feet of criminals.
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